


Nitro's Fate

by ladydragon76



Series: Storm Season [2]
Category: The Transformers (IDW Generation One), Transformers - All Media Types
Genre: M/M, barbarian au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-02
Updated: 2017-02-02
Packaged: 2018-09-21 15:44:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,503
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9555725
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ladydragon76/pseuds/ladydragon76
Summary: Summary:Poor, poor little Nitro.





	

**Author's Note:**

> **'Verse:** IDW  
>  **Series:** Storm Season  
>  **Rating:** PG-13  
>  **Characters:** Mirage, Nitro (OC)  
>  **Warnings:** AU,  
>  **Notes:** We just didn't have the space to add in Nitro's fate in Captured, so here it is: Nitro's fate after the attack. Ar-En is Masq's OC medic. ^_^ I needed to borrow him ever so briefly for this (with permission of course!).  <3
> 
> "Speaking" = Neocybex  
> //Speaking// = Clan language  
> " _Speaking_ " = Comms  
> ::Speaking:: = Bondspeak

"Sir. A call for you from Protihex."

Mirage looked up from his work with a slight frown. "Protihex?" Though he reached for the console on his desk and accepted the call as his butler bowed and left the office. If Xenon interrupted Mirage for a call, then it was clearly something important.

" _Lord d'Ligier?_ " a mech with prominent medic emblems greeted.

"Yes. How can I help you?"

" _I'm Ar-En, chief medic of Protihex Central, and you, sir,_ " Ar-En glanced down then back up, " _are listed as the Racer, Nitro's, emergency contact?_ "

Mirage blinked. "Oh, dear. Is he well?"

Ar-En's mouth pressed into a tight line. " _Physically, he will recover. His team and mine have worked together to treat a few minor wounds, however, mentally..._ "

"I would prefer your blunt assessment, Ar-En," Mirage said when the medic hesitated.

With an unhappy look, Ar-En continued, " _It seems Nitro is traumatized, though we don't know what caused it. According to his team, he left on a ground transport for Praxus with The Blurr two mornings ago. He arrived at our city gate approximately four hours ago and was brought here for treatment. We've given him a mild sedative to calm him, but while he remains conscious, no one can get him to speak of what happened. To speak at all, actually. To my knowledge, security forces are investigating, but I have not yet received a report._ "

Mirage gave a curt nod. "Thank you, Ar-En, for contacting me. Keep Nitro comfortable please. I am on my way."

" _Yes, sir. We'll be waiting for you, just let the main desk know when you arrive._ "

"I will. Thank you again," Mirage said and stood even as he cut the call. "Xenon!" he called out, hurrying from his office. "Contact Skyline. I need to be in Protihex four hours ago."

~ | ~

Mirage was shown directly to Nitro's private room the moment he entered the medical center, and what he saw made him shoo off the medic chattering at his side and shut the door.

"Oh, Nitro~ Sweetspark, what happened?" Mirage asked as he crossed to the narrow medical berth.

Nitro didn't react, not even when Mirage took his hand. Gold optics stared off into the distance, unseeing but glassy. The Racer's plating was scuffed in a few places and evidence of repaired dents still showed. Static bandages covered a whole section of the Racer's outer thigh and lower leg. A faint tremor rattled across black plating now and again, and Mirage was careful not to frown. He was equally attentive about the emotions in his field and only let his affection reach out as well as the calm assurance that all would be well.

"You won't need to worry about a thing, sweetspark. I'll see to it all, and you will feel like yourself again very soon." Mirage hoped.

~ | ~

The days took on a new routine for Mirage. Weeks passed where very little changed for Nitro. His injuries were all seen to, and Mirage brought in the Racer's favorite detailer to buff Nitro into a gleaming... statue.

Mirage entered Nitro's room as he did every morning since bringing the Racer home, and smiled brightly despite the weight in his spark. "Good morning, sweetling~" he sang and crossed to the table, a servant in his wake carrying their meal.

Morning sunlight made the gold lines in Nitro's plating glow, the black looking slick and shiny, but for all that he appeared to be alive, Nitro was hollow- a sculpture. He was, as had become the norm, sitting in a comfortable chair by a tall window next to the tea table. The fine transparasteel was pushed open to allow in the sweet breeze from the Sea of Light. It ruffled the gauzy sheer drapes, stirring them in soft billows only now and again. Nitro did not so much as twitch as Mirage seated himself beside the Racer and plucked a treat from the platter left for them.

Mirage offered the treat, letting it brush Nitro's lips to see if he would take it himself. When he didn't, the noble reached up with his other hand and very gently tugged Nitro's jaw down so he could nudge the small bit of gelled energon in. "There you go. One of your favorites." A slight push upward, and Nitro's mouth closed. The energon would dissolve, and thankfully, the Racer _did_ swallow it. They had not yet needed to resort to a feeding line.

A small crystal flute was lifted to Mirage's own lips, and he leaned back with a sigh, trying to relax. "I wish I could help you, Nitro." He laid a hand over one of the Racer's, frowning at the chill of it. "This instant, I mean." A smile was directed at Nitro, and Mirage pushed his field out, determination and affection in it. "I'm not going to give up on you. If it takes vorns, then it does, but I certainly hope you feel better sooner than later. Here, darling, I know you're hungry." The glass was set down and another treat was fed to Nitro while Mirage tried to convince himself he only imagined the flicker of light shifting through the Racer's gold optics. Hope was a vicious creature with agony-laced talons dug deep into Mirage's spark.

~ | ~

"Nitro!" Mirage burst into the Racer's room, earlier than usual, startling the mechs there for his physical therapy and morning polishing. "Apologies," Mirage said in a rush as he hurried to Nitro and clasped both the mech's hands in his own. "Sweetling. Blurr's back! He's alive." It was a slim hope, that news of Blurr, lost in the same wreck which had sent Nitro retreating into his mind, would help, but it was something, and Mirage would try anything.

Nitro's optics shifted from their blank stare to meet Mirage's gaze, and Mirage almost sobbed. It was the first sign of life he'd seen in months.

"He's alive and fine. Some barbarians found him and kept him alive to return home." Mirage bit his lip against the pressure in his throat since he wasn't sure if it would be a laugh or a sob if he let it out, cycled his vents, then added, "Would you like to see him? I'll try to arrange it if you want."

Liquid rose up in Nitro's optics, and he gave the tiniest of nods.

Mirage cupped the Racer's face and planted a cheery kiss on the corner of his mouth. "I'll see to it then. I'll be back with our meal in a little bit." Then he fled the room, field leashed until he could swing into the nearest room.

It turned out to be an empty guest room, and Mirage sunk against the closed door to weep gratitude to Primus.

~ | ~

Blurr was nervous -not that it showed- as he stepped into Mirage's grand foyer.

"I am so glad you could make time to come," the noble said, greeting Blurr himself. "Nitro barely twitched beyond the thrashing of his nightmares before I told him the news of your return."

"I've been worried about him," Blurr replied honestly, letting himself be led deeper into the Towerling's ancestral home and up a wide, gleaming marble staircase. Gold and platinum made up the balustrades, thin lines of crushed blue gems separated the large white slabs of the steps. "I don't remember the crash myself."

Mirage nodded, his pace slowing once they reached the top of the stairs. "He hasn't spoken yet, but as I said, the first sign of life was when I told him you were alive and well. Please be gentle with him?"

"I wouldn't dream of hurting him, my lord."

"Mirage, please," Mirage said with a smile. "And I know you wouldn't, but I fear how fragile his state is. However, if you can get him to speak at all, it'll be a miracle, and you'll have my unending gratitude."

Blurr shook his helm, shrugging a little. "We weren't that close before, so I really don't know what I can do to help, but I'm glad to be here. I want to see him. As soon as Platinum told me, I wanted to come, but..." He trailed off with another shrug.

"You have been very busy," Mirage said. "I understand completely, of course."

He likely did, but Blurr still felt a bit guilty. Time should have been made sooner, really, but Blurr had gotten caught up in having his life back, showing his lovers around and off, and just... didn't. Said twins had been left at home on purpose today. They were the ones to take him, so it stood to reason Nitro would recognize them, and that could be very bad. As it was, Blurr felt horrible for the sense of relief he felt in Nitro not having spoken. A single description would be enough to ruin one of them. Blurr would have to defend his lie, and poor Nitro didn't deserve to suffer more. Blurr didn't doubt which of them would be believed either. It would be too cruel a thing to do to Nitro, so home the twins stayed.

"Just in here," Mirage said, breaking Blurr from his thoughts as he opened a door. The noble's field filled with affection and joy, and Blurr grinned despite himself. At least Nitro was genuinely cared for. Blurr couldn't imagine Platinum looking after him at all with no hope for a future return to the tracks. No, Blurr would be cast into the breeding pool and live his remaining days spawning the next generation of Racers if it was him in Nitro's spot.

"Nitro! Sweetling, look who has come to visit."

Gold optics slowly moved with a glossy, black helm to focus on Blurr.

"Hey, Nos. Miss me?" Blurr asked with a wide smile as he crossed the room. He was about to kneel down at Nitro's feet when the other Racer suddenly surged forward. Blurr yelped as Mirage cried out, both Racers tumbling to the thickly carpeted flooring, Nitro on top and clinging.

Blurr hugged him back and laughed. "I'll take that as a yes." He was careful of his field, cautious to filter out any of the guilt or remorse or worry he felt, and leave only the amusement and happiness.

"Thought you died," Nitro whispered, his face pushed hard against one of Blurr's helm wings.

"Would have. I woke up shouting for you, you know?" Blurr replied. He gave Mirage a grin where the noble crouched beside them, tears on his face and hand held out like he wanted to touch but didn't dare.

"No," Nitro said.

"I really did," Blurr swore, arms tight on the other Racer. "I don't remember the wreck. Just that I woke up alone and you weren't there."

Nitro lifted his helm, gold optics pale and overbright. "They took you."

Blurr nodded. "I was told by the two who rescued me and helped me survive. The transport was attacked. They saw the smoke and got into some fight. By the time they tracked me down, I was in a heap of trouble."

Nitro nodded, optics welling. "I could barely see," he whispered, making a guilty hope flare in Blurr's spark. "All static and shadows. They left me! They took you and left me!"

Blurr crooned and tucked Nitro's helm back down against his own, letting the other Racer hide his face as he began to cry. Beside them, Mirage knelt, hands covering his mouth as he wept silently. Blurr reached a hand out for just a moment to offer the noble a quick squeeze to his knee then cuddled Nitro tightly once more. He was flat on his back on the floor, Nitro draped over him sobbing, and a noble crying beside them.

Primus.

Blurr fought against the surge of guilt and purred softly, "We're safe. We're both safe now, and Mirage adores you. Really adores you. We both got so lucky." Because they both knew what happened to Racers who couldn't race. Nitro _was_ lucky, and Blurr was grateful. Silly glitch that the other Racer was, Blurr never wished him ill. He was sweet and a bit dim, but not nasty like some of their competitors. "I'm so glad you're safe," Blurr whispered sincerely and held tight.

~ | ~

Nitro curled into Mirage's side on the plush sofa of the noble's private lounge. He shivered now and then, but the loop of visions had dulled. The screech of rending metal and stench of black smoke had finally faded to only the occasional whiff. Blurr was alive. They had been attacked by one set of barbarians, and Blurr rescued by another. Two who were now his lovers to hear the Racer tell it.

"Can I get you anything, sweet love?" Mirage asked. Again.

Nitro felt the smallest of grins tug at his lips. "No." He hesitated and tipped his helm up, the smile falling away. "I don't remember it all," he whispered.

Mirage went incredibly still. "Maybe that is for the best? It was clearly a very traumatic experience."

Nitro gnawed at his lip, focusing inward on those staticky shadows, the cold voice, and nodded. "There was this... thing. Mechanimal. I stayed on the roadway, but it was getting dark, and I could hear all these noises." Nitro paused, his vocalizer seizing and a hard shiver wracking his frame.

"You're safe now," Mirage purred, holding tighter to Nitro.

"I was dizzy, and when it attacked me, I was so surprised, I just fell over," Nitro continued. "That's when it got my thigh. It hurt," he added, voice faint and tremulous. "I scrambled up and ran, but I didn't know if I was running the right way and all around there were noises. I could hear something coming toward me every time I slowed down, so I just... didn't. I ran, but it was slow because my leg hurt." He shook his helm and burrowed deeper into the safety of Mirage's embrace. "I vaguely remember the walls. A shout." He shook his helm. Nitro had lost two entire days other than those snapshot memories, and that was terrifying. What else had happened?

No, Mirage was right. It was best if Nitro didn't remember.

"My poor sweetling," Mirage cooed, hugging tight and nuzzling Nitro's helm. "I'm so grateful you had the strength to get back to Protihex."

Nitro bit his lip hard. "I'm not strong. Blurr's strong."

"Blurr is lucky he had help," Mirage replied, voice firm. "He was attacked by a toxicougar out there, and his two lovers are the only reason he is alive. You brought yourself home, alone. You found safety until I was able to come for you."

Nitro nodded, unwilling to argue as he felt the upset and fear in Mirage's field. "I remember you coming to the hospital," he said instead. "I wanted to reach out, but you were too far away. It was all shadows and the noise of the crash and that... voice." He shuddered. "They took Blurr away and left me there all alone, and I felt _so bad_."

"Darling... Oh, Nitro, it wasn't your fault!" Mirage sat up a little and turned to face the Racer.

"I told them to leave him alone." Nitro dropped his gaze in guilt. "Then I begged them not to leave me."

Mirage gripped Nitro's shoulders and squeezed until he looked up to meet the noble's gaze. "I certainly do not blame you for that. What a terrifying thing you went through!" Nitro was pulled into a fierce hug and hid his face in Mirage's neck. "You brought yourself home, and I am so proud. _So proud_ \- do you hear me? I am only sorry you suffered so, and then continued to."

"I couldn't get out," Nitro whimpered. "I knew you were there. I could feel them polishing me. I could taste the energon. I could hear you talking, but none of it made sense until you said Blurr's name, and then suddenly the world snapped into focus... some." Mirage crooned wordlessly as Nitro's vents caught and shuddered with his respiration. "I can still see the shadows, Mirage. I can still smell the smoke."

Mirage stroked a hand over Nitro's helm. "It may take a while, sweetling, but I promise you, I don't care how long it takes. We'll see you healed."

"What..." Nitro cycled his vents and tried again, though his vocalizer seemed to fight against the words. "What if I can never race again?"

"Then we list you as officially retired instead of on recovery leave and carry on with our lives as we have." Mirage straightened again and met Nitro's optics a moment before reaching up and removing the traditional mask. Nitro's jaw hung lose in shock, and Mirage grinned as he pushed a finger under the Racer's chin. That mask never came off except in the presence of a mate or direct family member. It was an _ancient_ tradition in Mirage's family! "I will not cast you out. I know exactly what you fear, darling, and I swear, I don't care if you ever run for me again. I'll not send you away. I'll not hand you over to be used. If you wish to bear or sire a Racer sparkling, then I'll help you find the very best _willing_ Racer out there. This is your home forever and always. You are as family to me. Never doubt it."

Nitro was still in shock as Mirage leaned in and brushed a chaste, affectionate kiss against the corner of his mouth, but then his spark smoothed over. A knot loosened and untied, and Nitro purred and wound his arms around Mirage to hug him close again.

~ | ~

It was incredibly late for visitors, but the main entry chimed again, and Nitro opted to see who it was for himself. Most of the servants were in recharge, and Mirage was at a party, so there was no one to fuss at him for opening the door instead of standing on ceremony and waiting for a servant to do it.

"Can I help you?" Nitro asked the dark blue Seeker.

"I have a message for Nitro from Blurr," the Seeker replied, one dark hand offering a tiny data chip.

"I'm Nitro."

"Then this is for you," the Seeker replied with a grin. Nitro took it and the Seeker stepped back with a short wave. "Have a nice night."

Then he launched, and Nitro was left bewildered and staring up at the shrinking point of light from the Seeker's thrusters.

"Huh."

Nitro turned, allowing the door to close and returned to his seat in the parlor. He turned the data chip over and over in his hands, wondering what Blurr could possibly have to say to him that couldn't wait. Wasn't he in Protihex for the next race?

Well, nothing for it. The only way to find out what Blurr wrote to him was to read it.

Nitro dug out a datapad and plugged the chip in.

**Hey, Nos. Seems like the Racer life isn't for me after all. I'm going to run away and bond with my sexy barbarians, but I didn't want to leave without saying goodbye... and offering some unasked for advise. Mirage is really great as far as sponsors go, and you're a lucky mech. Race or not, but don't let fear hold you back from the things you love. We're Racers. We're made to be bold- on and off the tracks. Break the line. -Blurr**

"Break the line," Nitro repeated with a grin, then snickered when he realized that _The Blurr_ had run off to bond with barbarians. Platinum was going to scream so loud.

Nitro quickly pulled the chip from the datapad and stowed it. He would tell Mirage later, but that note probably shouldn't become common knowledge. Platinum would go after Blurr in vengeance if nothing else.

Break the line, Blurr had said. Sure Nitro knew what it meant. All Racers did. It was what a mech told his friend when the friend was racing and the mech wasn't. It meant good luck and go win.

Break the line.

Nitro bit his lip through a smile then opened a private comm to Mirage, a new gift from the noble so Nitro would always reach him, no matter what.

" _Nitro? Sweetling, is everything all right?_ "

"Yes. I think I want to race again," Nitro said, his smile growing as he stood and bounced a bit on his feet.

Mirage was silent a moment, but the comm line was still open. Finally he spoke, his voice thick, and Nitro could imagine the tears. " _If that's what you want, love, then that's what you'll do._ "

Nitro giggled and danced a few twirling steps across the parlor. "Yes. I have a few lines to break yet this life." If Blurr could run away with wildlings, back into that terrifying land for the sake of love, then Nitro could get back on the tracks. Don't let fear hold you back, indeed. "Retirement can wait. I'm ready to run again."


End file.
